Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has described his decisive penalty save as an instinctive reaction after helping Udinese end their six-match losing run with a 0-0 draw against Parma in the Italian Serie A on Wednesday, Naijafooty.com reports.
The Nigerian shot-stopper produced the crucial intervention in the 69th minute, denying Parma midfielder Adrián Bernabé from the spot at the Ennio Tardini Stadium. The save preserved Udinese’s clean sheet and earned Okoye the Man of the Match award after an impressive display.
Okoye had earlier come under pressure after failing to hold a corner, with the ensuing scramble resulting in a handball by Udinese defender James Abankwah. Following a video assistant referee review, Parma were awarded a penalty, but the Nigerian goalkeeper recovered from the initial mistake to keep out Bernabé’s effort.
Speaking after the encounter, Okoye said Udinese were eager to secure all three points but were satisfied to leave with a draw. “We always want to win and we need points. Today we got one, and that’s fine. Now we’re immediately focusing on the next one. The penalty save was pure instinct,” he said, according to the club’s official website.
The result ended Udinese’s six consecutive defeats in the league and gave the team a much-needed boost as they battle to improve their position. Okoye also pointed to the absence of key players, including Nicolò Zaniolo, as one of the factors affecting the side’s recent performances, while insisting that their attention had already shifted to the next fixture.
